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Friday, August 29, 2014

Former FBI Director Louis Freeh in surgery after automobile wreck

Hmmm... another single car accident? One of the reasons that automakers were given special government incentives in the early 2000's was to encourage people to trade in working 1990s era cars (that had simpler electronic systems) was so that people would purchase cars with electronics that enabled them to be remotely controlled. Wonder what the FBI will find? No alcohol, no skid marks, very strange... -AK

Louis Freeh in surgery Tuesday after wreck

The Vermont State Police say there is no evidence that drugs or alcohol were a factor in former FBI director Louis Freeh's crashing his SUV in Barnard on Monday.

Freeh, 64, of Wilmington, Del., was back in surgery Tuesday at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H., where he remains under armed guard, the authorities said. He received serious injuries in the wreck.

Freeh was southbound on a rural stretch of Vermont 12 in Barnard in a 50 mph zone when he drove his 2010 GMC Yukon off the left side of the road at about 12:15 p.m., the police said. Barnard is about a 80-minute drive southeast of Burlington.

The top of Freeh's SUV was cut off by White River Valley Ambulance, Barnard Fire Department and Barnard First Response to free him during the rescue, police said. Freeh was airlifted from Vermont 12 to Dartmouth-Hitchcock.

There were no signs of skid marks or brake marks, investigators said.

Freeh, whose family has a vacation home in Barnard, was traveling alone. He was wearing his seat belt, the police said.

Troopers have been unable to interview Freeh, but investigators hope to speak with him by the end of the week, said state police Lt. William Jenkins, station commander for the Royalton barracks. He said the section of road was relatively straight and flat.

Capt. Ray Keefe, state police commander for southeastern Vermont, said troopers are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash. Police said they will attempt to sort out whether Freeh fell asleep at the wheel, whether he was distracted, or whether there was a medical or mechanical issue.

Once the investigation is complete, a Uniform Crash Report will be submitted to the Vermont Division of Motor Vehicles.

Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn said Tuesday that he continued to investigate why state police needed eight hours to release information about the crash. A Fox 44/ABC 22 news crews videoed the scene, and a photographer from the Vermont Standard, a newsweekly in nearby Woodstock, also covered the crash.

Flynn said Freeh's "safety and security" were important, but it was unclear why police waited to issue an official news release and refused to transfer phone calls to the night commander in southern Vermont.

The crash was first reported by media in Washington, D.C., citing anonymous sources. The Vermont State Police news release followed those initial reports by nearly two more hours, arriving at 8:22 p.m.

The Vermont State Police say
former FBI director Louis Freeh
hit a mailbox as he drove off
Vermont 12 in Barnard during
a one-vehicle crash Monday
that left him with serious injuries.
(Photo: Rick Russell /
Vermont Standard )

Freeh and his wife had dinner with U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Leahy's wife in southern Vermont a few weeks ago, according to the senator's spokesman David Carle.

"The senator has been in touch with the Freeh family," Carle said. He said the senator likely would have no further comment.

Leahy and Freeh have been friends for more than 20 years, Carle said. Part of the friendship developed when Leahy headed the Senate committee that oversees the FBI.

A GMC Yukon driven by former FBI director Louis Freeh had its roof removed by rescuers following a
one-car crash Monday on Vermont 12 in Barnard. (Photo: Rick Russell / Vermont Standard )